Game apparatus.



H. W. RIBS & L. B. BROWN. GAME APPARATUS.

Patented July 7, 1914.

v 1... W, a /I mmskw R UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY W. RIES, 0F OOLLINGSWOOD, NEW JERSEY, AND LANDY B. BROWN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY W. RIES and LANDY B. BROWN, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Collingswood, county of Camden, State of New Jersey, and Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Game Apparatus, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game apparatus, and more particularly to the game of tennis, and has for an object to provide an apparatus for playing the game of tennis indoors which embodies a simple and effective means for following the different plays of the outdoor game in a manner so closely simulating or approximating the actual plays of the game as to make it substantially as interesting and exciting to play as the regular game.

It has for a further object to provide an indoor tennis game whereby beginners, or even those more or less skilled in the game, may profit by the teachings of our novel indoor apparatus so that unusually fast progress may be made in learing the inside of the game and their play in the actual game thereby materially improved[ The invention has for a still further object to provide a representation of a tennis court laid out to a suitable scale proportioned with respect to the actual dimensions of a court and having a plurality of location points or moves suitably indicated thereon for determining the position of the ball and of the player.

In combination with the aforesaid structure it has for an object to provide a means for indicating the plays of the game whereby those participating in the game may make a succession of plays as in the outdoor game, and with substantially the same interest.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at pres ent preferred by us, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which our invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that our invention is not limited to the precise arrange- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 12, 1913.

Patented July 7, 1914.

Serial No. 800,428.

ment and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure l-represents a plan of a gameboard embodying our invention; Fig. 2 represents a plan of one of the indicatingdials; Fig. 3 represents one of the dummy objects servlng as players; Fig. 1 represents the dummy ball.

Referring to the drawings: Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

1 designates a suitable base or board upon which the mechanism and other adjuncts for playing the game of our invention are disposed and laid out in a suitable manner. In the present instance we have shown a miniature tennis court 2 located at substantially the central portion of the board 1 and comprising the usual base lines 3 and side lines 4, halfway between the former and parallel therewith the net 5 is located, and upon either side thereof is the service line 6, forming with the half court line 7 the service courts 8. The alleys 9 serve the usual purpose of enlarging the court when more than two players are playing the game, and are of course not considered when the game is be ing played as singles, that is, by two persons.

10 designates a plurality of diagonally disposed lines running in parallel relation across the court from one corner to the opposite diagonal corner, and 11 designates a second series of diagonally disposed parallel lines running from an adjacent corner to the diagonally opposite corner, all of said lines being suitably spaced apart a predetermined distance, and intersecting at a plurality of points, each of which represents the position of the player or the ball according to conditions of play existing at a particular time. As here shown we have preferred to form an opening 12 in the surface of the board at each point of intersection of the aforesaid lines and these openings are respectively reinforced by a suitable eyelet 01 like device. In addition to the aforesaid diagonal lines we have arranged a plurality of parallel lines 14 extending longitudinally of the court and each passing through certain of the openings 12, the purpose of these lines 14%, as Well as the diagonal lines 10 and 11, is to serve as direction lines along which the ball is supposed to travel.

15 designates an object representing the ball and it is in the present instance mounted upon a base 16 provided with a'tapered stem 17 which serves as a plug for insertion within the respective openings 12. Thus, when the position of the ball is definitely indicated by mechanism to be presently described the ball member 15 is temporarily inserted in the designated opening 12 where it remains until the next play has been made which indicates a new position for the ball.

18 designates a dummy player likewise mounted upon a suitable base 19 provided with a tapered stem 20 so that it may be similarly positioned in the openings 12 as in the case of the ball member. The dummy player is preferably constructed with a laterally disposed or outstretched arm 21 terminating in a racket member 22 so that when the player member is placed in a designated position, the field covered by the extended racket is of sufficient scope to include a number of the adjacent openings 12, the purpose of which arrangement will appear when the details of the game are explained.

23 designates a dial suitably sub-divided into an outer field 24 and two inner fields 25 and 26, the said fields in turn being sub divided by radial lines or like dividing means and in each of the sub-divisions thus formed there is an indicating means for showing the play or number of moves to take place. For convenience of play we prefer to utilize a rotatable pointer or arrow 27 which is pivoted at the center of the dial and is adapted to be spun by the players of the game so that itpasses over all of the sub-divisions and finally comes to rest between-two of the radial sub-dividing means, and thus indicates a play or gives a choice of plays corresponding to an actual play of the game. Preferably the outer field 2 1 is differently colored or marked in some way to distinguish it from the other fields since the plays indicated in this field are, supposed to represent positions or movements of the player while the remaining fields indicate the movements of the ball or some condition of play brought about by the 7 player in striking the ball. Thus, for eX- ample, in the fields 25 and 26 we have'preferred to show several numbers, each of which represents the number of moves of' the ball from one position in. an opening 12 to a new position after it is put in play. We have also in some of these field subdivisions placed words corresponding to results of the player hitting the ball, such as Fault, Net, Lob or the like. In the preferred form of the game we employ two of the aforesaid dials located on opposite sides of the net and in a convenient position to be spun by the players.

ner and may he participated in by two, three or four players as 1n the regular game of tennis, it of course being understood that where two players take part a single court is used and the side alleys entirely disregarded, while if three are playing the lone 7 player will utilize the single court while the 1 two players on the opposite side of the net use the double court, including .the alleys, and if four are engaged the entire court is used, as will readily be understood. In describing the game as played it will he assumed that but two players are taking part in the game, sincethis is the simplest form of the game and may, therefore, be, the more readily understood. The player who is to serve places a dummy figure in one of the openings 12 along the back line 3 to the right hand side ofthe middle longitudinal line of the court, in order to serve the ball into the left hand service court on the opposite side of the net, and this dummy figure may be positioned in any one of the base line openings at this side of the court which the player may deem most advantageous. Having chosen the location of the dummy figure the player thenspins the arrow 27 and when it comes to rest opposite one of the radial sub-divisions, there will be in the majority of cases two plays indicated, either of which the player may select as the one supposed to have taken place. For example, itwill be assumed that the arrow points tothe sub division having the numbers 2, 15 and 8 therein, and as the number. 8 is in the field 2 1 which designates the players moves, the two moves for the ball represented by the number 2 and 15 remain as a choice/ As these numbers represent the number of openings to be moved from the position of the dummy figure, the player will naturally select the number 15 as this is the number -which will carry the ball over the net into the proper service-court. The player, there fore, takes the ball member and, counting the number of openings along one of the diagonal lines, places the ball in the fif teenth opening from his position, thus showing the location of the ball in theservice court. Having done this andbefore the opposing player makes a move, the server is privileged to improve his positionby moving the dummy 18 a distance equal, to three of the openings from his original position, and may be done along any of the lines radiating from this original position. This gives the player a chance to improve his position in orderto anticipate the direction of the return of the ball. The receiver, or other player, has of course, previous to the serving of the ball, placed his dummy player in one of the openings adjacent the receiving service court, and in a position which in h1s judgment he considers the best The game is played 1n the following mani to make a return ofthe ball. As soon,

i therefore, as the server has placed. the

dummy ball in the position indicated in the first play, and taken his new position, the receiver spins the arrow, and when it comes to rest the receiver notes the number in the outer field 24, and may then move the dummy player the corresponding number of moves from its original position toward the ball. If in the new position he is unable to reach the ball with the extended arm of the dummy it is his opponents point, but if he is able to reach the ball then he may choose one of the numbers indicated by the arrow in the ball fields 25 and 26 and move the ball the corresponding number of spaces. This constitutes the return of the ball and he may then take three moves to improve his position for returning the ball upon his opponents play. These three moves may be taken at the option of either player after each service or return, but must be taken before the opponent spins the arrow for the next play. The object of giving a player these three moves i to introduce a scientific element into the game, as it will enable a player to think ahead of the particular play and enable him to cover the court far more accurately. Furthermore these moves will teach the theory of court covering to novices at the game, as well as those further advanced in the knowledge of lawn tennis, since in the actual game it is not merely a matter of ability to speedily reach the spot toward which the opponent has hit the ball, but depends largely upon the personal equation in anticipating the point of return, and reaching that point in time to make an effective return of the ball, such as placing it out of reach of the opponent, which of course cannot always be done if the player waits to see where the ball is going upon its return, and then runs with undue haste to return the ball.

In case the path of the ball uponits return in any play passes within reach of the opposing player, that is, along any of thelines within the radius of the extended arm,

it is supposed that the player has hit the ball, and it is therefore only necessary to use the number in the indicating dial which shows the number of spaces or moves the ball is to make upon its return.

The word Let on the indicator applies only to the service and has the same meaning as in the regular game, namely that the service does not count for that stroke and may be played over again. The word Lob on the indicating dial applies only to the ball after it is in play, and is a return over the head of the opposing player to the base line and cannot be intercepted by the opponent but may, however, be returned if the opponent can reach it with the number of moves allowed him in the field 24 after the arrow has been spun. The word Net on the dial applies to either the service or the ball in play, and indicates that the ball has been driven into the net. The word Fault applies only to the service and the word Out may either relate to the service or the ball in play. A return that just reaches the net is counted as a Net and is a point for the opponent.

It will now be apparent that we have devised a simple and complete game apparatus capable of depictingin a-life-like manner substantially all possible plays in the game of tennis, and it will be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the exact number of board moves, nor to the use of openings for holding the dummy objects, nor to the particular number of lines indicating moves or their arrangement, as it will be understood that the various instrumentalities of which our invention consists can be variously arranged and organized without departing from the scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, said court having a plurality of intersecting lines or markings forming a plurality of points representing respective positions of a ball or player under certain conditions, a dummy object to represent a ball, dummy objects to represent players, and means to determine by chance the position of said ball and said players upon said court under a certain condition of play.

2. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court, provided with a plurality of openings, said court having a plurality of lines or markings thereon intersecting the respective openings, a dummy object to represent a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, and means to determine by chance the particular opening in which said ball and player are adapted to seat under a certain condition of play.

'3. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court provided with a plurality of openings, said court having a plurality of lines or markings intersecting the respective openings, a dummy object to represent a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, a dial suitably sub-divided and provided with means for indicating the openings in which said ball and player are to seat under a certain condition of play, and means to select one of said dial sub-divisions to determine the play to be made.

4. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis 1 court thereon, said court having a plurality of intersecting lines or markings forming a. plurality of points representing respective positions of a ball'or player under certain conditions, a dummy object to represent a ball, dummy objects to represent'players, a dial suitably sub-divided and provided with means for indicating the point position which said ball andplayer are to assume under a certain condition ofplay, and means to select one of said dial sub-divisions to determine the play to be made.

5. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court provided with a plurality of openings, said court having a plurality of lines or markings thereon intersecting the respective openings, a dummy object to represent a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, a

dial suitably sub-divided and provided with.

means for indicating a particular opening in which said player is to seat under a certain condition of play, and means to select by chance one of said dial sub-divisions to determine the openings to be used.

6. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality of openings, said court having a plurality of lines or markings'thereon intersecting the respective openings, adummy object to rep resent a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openin s, a dial suitably sub-divided and provi ed with means for indicating a particular opening in which said ball is to: seat under a certain condition of play, and means to select by chance one of said dial sub-divisions to determine the openingto be used.

7. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality of openings, said court having a plurality of lines or markings thereon intersecting the respective openings, a dummy object to represent a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat. in any of said openings, a dial suitably sub-divided and provided with means for indicating the respective openings in which said-ball and player are to seat under a certain condition of play, and an arrow or pointer rotatably mounted on said dial adapted to select by chance one of said sub-divisions to determine the respective openings to be used.

8. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality of openings suitably disposed throughout the court area and representing respective positions of a ball and player under certain conditions,'a dummy object representing a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, and means to determine by chance the position of said ball and said player under a certain condition of play.

9. Ina device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality of." rows of openlngs arranged 1n staggered re-' lation and representing respective positions of a ball or player under certain conditions, a dummy object representing a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, and means to determine by chance the position of saidball and said player under a certain condition of play.

10. In a device ofthe character stated,'a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality of rows of openings arranged in staggered re lation and representing respective positions of a ball or player under certainconditions, a dummy object representing a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, a dial suitably sub-divided and provided with means for indicating the openings in which said ball and player are to seat under a certain condition of play, and an arrow or pointer rotatably mounted on said dial adapted to select by'chan'ce one of said sub-divisions to determine the respective openings to be used.- 1.1.'In a device ofthe character stated,;a base havinga' representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality, of openings suitably disposed throughout the court area and representing respective positions of a ball and player under certain conditions, a dummy obj ect representing a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in anyof said openings, a dial divided into a plurality of fields, one of said fields being provided with means for indicating the opening in which said ball is adapted to seat under a certain condition of play, and the remaining field or fields being adaptedto indicate the opening in which said player is adapted to seat under a certain condition of play, said fields being suitably sub-divided and provided with indicating means, and an arrow or pointer rotatably mounted on said dial adapted to select by chance a sub-division of each field to determine the respective openings to be used.

12. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality of openings suitably disposed throughout the court area and representing the respective positions of a ball and player under certain conditions, a dummy object representing a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, a laterally disposed member on each dummy object of sufficient length to pass over one or more of said openings in a field developed by rotating said player object, and means to determine by chance the position of said ball and said player under a certain condi tion of play.

13. In a device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality of openings suitably disposed throughout the court area and representing the respective positions of a ball and player under certain conditions, a dummy object representing a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, a laterally disposed member on each dummy object of suflicient length to pass over one or more of said openings in a field developed by rotating said player object, a dial suitably sub-divided and provided with means for indicating the respective openings in which said ball and player are to seat under a certain condition of play, and an arrow or pointer rotatably mounted on said dial adapted to select by chance one of said subdivisions to determine the respective openings to be used.

14. In device of the character stated, a base having a representation of a tennis court thereon, provided with a plurality of openings suitably disposed throughout the court area and representing the respective positions of a ball and player under certain conditions, a dummy object representing a ball adapted to seat in any of said openings, dummy objects to represent players also adapted to seat in any of said openings, a laterally disposed member on each dummy object of suflicient length to pass over one or more of said openings in a field developed by rotating said player object, a plurality of dials suitably sub-divided and provided re spectively with means for indicating the respective openings in which said ball and player are to seat under a certain condition of play, and an arrow or pointer rotatably mounted on each dial adapted to select by chance one of said sub-divisions to determine the respective openings to be used.

In testimony of which invention, we here unto set our hands.

HARRY W. RIES. LANDY B. BROWN. Witnesses:

R. M. HUNTER, EDNA W. SMITH.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I'atents,

\ Washington, D. G. 

